Aaron Rodgers vs. The World

Last year at about this time, we started a position by position breakdown of the Packers roster, and this year things will be much the same, except rather than a single entry for each position, we're devoting a week at a time to each group, from quarterbacks all the way through special teams. And since the NFL is a quarterback driven league (as we're repeatedly told by talking heads everywhere), quarterback is the logical place to start.

As far as the Packers quarterback go, the discussion begins and ends with Aaron Rodgers. He's the best player on the roster, he's the highest paid player in the NFL, and he really, really likes gray suits. Two of those things matter as far as the Packers go.

Rodgers will not have an easy job this season. His offensive line is in flux. His receiving corps is changing dramatically. He has two rookie running backs behind him. His defense is...a work in progress. Suffice it to say, the only stable position on the Packers right now might be quarterback, and that's only because of Rodgers' brilliance the last few seasons.

And while Rodgers has been brilliant, it's worth pointing out that he didn't set the world on fire in the playoff loss to San Francisco. 26 of 39 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns against one interception isn't really bad, but it's not what you'd expect from the guy who might be the best quarterback in the league. The interception was especially bad, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that.

But overall, there's no reason to expect Rodgers won't have another typically solid year. He still has plenty of weapons around, and a retooled offensive line and improved (hopefully) running game might make the pass just that much more potent. We're pretty safe with Aaron Rodgers at the helm.